"The Act is very wide in its scope and includes economic abuse as well. If any economic assistance that is entitled to the aggrieved is denied, that also constitutes domestic violence. In fact, the Act also includes emotional abuse," Justice TS Thakur told the audience.

Legal luminaries stressed on the fact that the Domestic Violence Act had in it a feature that required the government to publicise it as much as possible, so that even the poor knew how to use it. The act includes oppression in live-in relationships as well.

Justice Ashok Bhan narrated an incident from his childhood. "In my childhood whenever I quarrelled with my elder sister, my father would tell me to respect her as she was my elder. And whenever I had a dispute with my younger sister, he would tell me that I should treat her affectionately. The Domestic Violence Act only intends to strengthen this aspect of our culture, where all women are respected," he said.